Unicaja Malaga should run past Ucam Murcia
This year in the quarter-finals of the Basketball Champions League we will have two 100% Spanish duels in a Best of Three. Palacio de Deportes Martín Carpena will host the first match between Malaga and Murcia on Tuesday, April 4.
Unicaja arrived here after winning Group K of the round of 16 with 5 wins and a defeat, after meeting Aek Athens, Galatasaray and Limoges. Statistically, they are the 4th team in terms of points per game with 83.9, the first in assists with 21.0 and the 11th in rebounds with 35.6. The team leaders are Brizuela with 12.2 ppg, Kravish with 11.6 ppg and Perry with 11.2 ppg. Alberto Díaz received the All-Defensive Team as an individual award this season. In the last 5 matches in all competitions, they have 4 wins and a defeat with Barcelona, in the last round of the Endesa League they managed to reach the 100 points mark with Fuenlabrada 100-75, Perry with 20 points and Brizuela with 15 points were the main 2 scorers.
Murcia managed to qualify from Group L of the round of 16 from second place with 4 wins and 2 defeats after meeting 2 other teams from Spain: Tenerife and Bilbao and the Turks from Darussafaka. They dominate the competition in 2 important categories: they are the first in points per game (84.9) and rebounds (40.1) and occupy the 22nd place in assists (15.9). Trice with 13.9 ppg, McFadden with 13.4 ppg and Pustovyi with 11.0 ppg are the main scorers. In the last 5 matches, they have 3 wins and 2 defeats, just like their opponent in the last stage of the Endesa League, they managed to reach 100 points scored with Girona 102-79, Jelenik having 20 points, Anderson 17 points and McFadden 15 points.
After in the Endesa League, each team won on their ground, Malaga’s chances to go further are higher with a possible match 3 on their ground. Murcia seems to have the road to the trophy paved with the team from Spain, so the previous experiences in this competition with the team from Spain will help them.
Valentin Petruta
Photo credit: Basketball Champions League
